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Belle Station The whole affair was explained quite simple. As the freelancing scavenger hunters, heard about the fleet battle they did what pretty much else with access to a space ship. Head to the Kappa Andromedae and try to grab as much debris as possible. Artifacts, scrap and even body parts could be sold for good profit. The Yellow Throat Shiss and his rag tag crew of six cut throats had seen the Calypso approach and more or less on the spot decided to make the step from low lives to criminals. They wanted the Calypso and were quite serious about abducting the teens, while the trade with sentient beings was strictly prohibited and doing it inside Union space carried the risk of being sent to the gallows, the trade with slave and sentient was a profitable business in Free and Open space. Two of the scavengers boarded the Calypso, not knowing that Pictfram was aboard. Pictfram used his flexible body to hide in plain sight and called for help. Marines and Navy still in the system responded right away. This should have been the end of it for everyone concerned, the want to be Pirates in custody and no one but the Shiss got hurt, but Sobyr's father the station commandant gave them a long and stern sermon about doing things the safe way and doing it the foolish way. In some way Roy was reminded of the time when his Dad would reprimand him and call him to the study. That the Thauran station commander had never met Roy before, appeared to make no difference and he too got a stern talking to. When Commander Sybor finally dismissed the six teens, Roy hoped that Carla would somehow not not find out about this. Not that he had done anything wrong as far as he knew. She already waited outside the Commandant's office and gave him a stern look. “When I told you to explore the station, I didn't mean for you to pick a fight with scavengers and deep space cut throats, almost six light hours away from here. “ But she did not stay serious and she started to smirk. “No you didn't really do anything wrong, but I have to agree with your new friends father. “You should have told someone where you were going. This could have easily turned out with you guys hurt or even worse.” Roy could not really argue that, but he tried anyway. “You were gone and it didn't sound dangerous. If my damn gun had worked we would not have needed the Marines help.” “I was only as far as a GalNet Call and you do have my contact info on your PDD.” Alejandro leaned over and looked closer and said."The TKU holster was in deep space mode. The mag-lock engaged so it won't float away." Alejandro opened the a little compartment on the weapon and retracted a wrist band like thing and locked the flexible thing around Roy's wrist and said. "Now the weapon is in lanyard mode and connected to the band.” Clara sighed. “See, this is what I meant, just try to stay put. Well we are soon enough on Sares.” He should have never left Green Hell. Out here he was like a Stomper trying to swim in a lake. Roy didn't like to be scolded for the second time and so he snapped a little more intense as he wanted it to come out and said to her. "I am nothing but an assignment to you. Stowed away on Sares till it is convenient for the Wurgus Conference. I promised Uncle Sam to be good, but no one ever asked me if I even want to be here." It came out like a flood. "I thought you be there at Sares and now I know I am nothing but orders and an assignment. You decided to put me up with your parents. I don't even know them, could you not have told me?" She took an actual step back. "I am sorry Roy. I know things haven't been easy for you since I met you, but I thought we were friends.” Carla looked sad and a hurt and added. "I volunteered to help you from the day I heard you parents got killed. If my help was not adequate then I am sorry. Go back to Green Hell or whatever." Sobyr looked troubled. "I came to apologize for what my father said and did and for the mess I got you in. I really am sorry, we all felt enriched by your presence. I hope it was us who caused this fall out" Aat, also made sad eyes. "If you go back to Green Hell we won't have a chance to get to know you better." Roy suddenly felt rotten for snapping that way at Cara. What she said was true of course. He was certain she had his best in mind and never was anything less than a friend. What could he say to say to her to make her understand he didn't mean it the way it came out. Cara said “In moments like that, Psionics are quite helpful, “ then simply gave him a hug and pressed her soft cheeks against his. "I am sorry Roy. I don't know what it is I can do but I will try to be a better friend." “Can you forget what I said and simply go from there?" She agreed. Roy was on the verge becoming a man and Cara felt lovely, soft warm and had a faint but heavenly scent. He said." Yes please. I did not mean what I said. It was just so much. I think I still want to go to Sares. If everything I experienced was a lesson then I learned that I have to catch up with what I missed in school" She held him at arms length. "I said it before, deep down you are wise young man, Mr. Masters." She actually looked a little embarrassed and added. "Why don't we all got to Arthur's and have pig out dinner and we all catch up. You and your new friends and of course Partner." They had all a great dinner at an Arthur's Swine and Dine and even Partner participated by eating the wrappers, cups of soda, cup ice straw and all, two pepper shakers and an entire napkin holder Pictfram tossed in Partners direction, much to the delight of the others. The plan they agreed on was that Roy would visit Humongous with Cara the next day and then he would have a whole day with his new friends before they had to resume their journey to Sares. ---””--- Humongous Cara explained that the Bellebees had no natural eyes or ears, no arms, limbs or any of the prerequisites needed to start a technical civilization. Yet despite that, Bellebees were a tremendous important member of the Union. Bellebees had the ability to remember collectively. That meant every little detail, every information they had been exposed to over many could be recalled by any member of this race. They had not many things that distracted them and so could easily co-relate the most minute detail with a million other details and come to solutions and recommendations. They were as efficient as a computronic but added intuition, creativity and a certain level of emotional response to a solution. For this ability the Bellebees were a part of Fleet Command and able to react to a wide spread problem in a fast and decisive way. This was the reason the Kermac attacked this system , as they correctly identified the Bellebees as a powerful asset of the Union. --””-- The next morning, bright an early Cara, Partner and Roy met at the hotel lobby after breakfast and ran into Captain Wilson, the commanding officer of the Gayimeera. He was out of uniform and wore a short white dress and carried a sports bag with a long handled thing sticking out one side. He waved at them as he came out of the IST. "Colonel Halvagh and Mr. Masters. I was just about to call you but running into you is even better." Roy remembered that Cara's last name was Halvagh and that she was a Colonel . He also still thought it was a quite deceiving for a Saresii man to look like a real hot looking blonde with legs to the sky and a skirt that barely covered his round behind. The XO of the Gayimeera, even though being half Terran was telepathic gifted and gave Ray an impish grin. “Oh yes indeed it is quite deceiving and fun.” Then he changed the subject. "The Gayimeera did need a new bow shield projector after all. The Nogoll missile that hit us overloaded the coils. Nothing serious but due to the war they are short of projectors and have none that fits in stock." Cara said ."So how long will that delay us?" "They ordered one from Ross 123 and it is already on a Post ship and should be here on Eightday of Red Week and since we got Threeday, it will be here in five days. Fitting it is a matter of hours and we should be on our way to the HHW on Sixday latest." She sighed. "I hoped to be on Sares for the Silver-Cat festival so Roy could experience something that happens only every five years and get a good first impression." "O I think we still make it to the festival, Colonel. We just ditch the planned stop at Blue Moon and go straight through Intergalactica SW 1 and that will get us to Sares Gate on schedule." Roy had no idea what they were talking about but he understood that they would be here for five more days but still somehow manage to reach Sares without much of a delay. Cara seemed pleased with that and thanked the Captain for the information. Captain Wilson held up the sports bag. "I am using the stop-over for a few Tennis matches. The station has excellent facilities and I am participating in a local competition. Are you two care to come along?" Cara spread her arms." We would have loved to see you compete in whatever it is you are about to do, but we are on our way to visit Humongous and the Bellebees.” Roy also had no idea what Tennis was. "I don't know any Terran Sports really." The blonde captain shrugged. “You should check it out one of these days, it, but then you can play Tennis anywhere, but meet the Bellebees only here." The Captain left and turned the heads of a few human males, most likely not even suspecting anything as Wilson did not look very Saresii, being blonde and tanned and all that. Cara did not say anything but rolled her eyes at Roy's thoughts. His new friends already waited outside the hotel and all together and a taxi ride later they boarded a local shuttle bound for Humongous. The shuttle was packed to the last seat. Cara leaned over and explained to him that Belle Station was located about 12 Light minutes above the local Star still called Kappa Andromedae as the sun was known to Terran Astronomers even before the Ascent. Since the Bellebees had no name for their own sun (not being able to see it) the name remained. Humongous was the 4th planet of the system. The planet had 14 larger moons, all occupied and utilized by the Union and according to the information he got from an on board brochure there were several large cities floating in the gaseous layers of the planet. As they approached he noticed how different it looked to the planets he had seen so far. She said sensing his unspoken questions. "It is a Jovian planet. Jovian means it is a planet similar to a big gas planet, called Jupiter. We Saresii have a completely different name for giants like that, but for some reason the classification Jovian stuck and now the entire Union is using it." "An Jupiter is where?" "It is a Gas planet in the Sol System. You know where Earth is , the home system of the Terrans. Humongous however is much bigger than Jupiter or pretty much any other Gas Giant. It is one of the biggest know planets in the Galaxy.” "If you say Gas giant. Does it not mean it is made of Gas and thus just a puff of nothing solid?" "You really skipped a lot of school, you know. Planet classification is taught in 5th grade.” “I am getting that and that is why I am on my way to Sares of all places to catch up.” She answered his question. “Some Gas giants do have a solid core, but have technically no solid surface. Pressures and conditions change the properties of such basic elements like hydrogen and helium to such dense material that you can indeed walk on it, given you wear the right protection.” She pointed at the dark red ball that was getting bigger by the minute. “Humongous is a little different than most Jovian planets and scientists argue to this day if it a Super Jovian or a failed Brown Dwarf. The planet is right at the threshold of becoming a star. Conditions there are even more extreme than on other Jovians and Surface temperatures right above the metallic helium layer hover at around 1600 on the K scale or about 1326 degrees on the old unscientific C Scale,so many Terrans still prefer." The red ball had little in terms of features and appeared more like a dirty glowing sun with some orange swirls. Roy kept looking at the planet and said. "How can they have a city on a planet like that? How could life develop?" She smiled . "The Union has Cities on the surface of Stars, a research station near the Galactic Center and many hundred thousand floating cities on Jovian planets. For example the temperatures outside Bright Star City on the sun the Non Corps call home are many thousand times hotter than here, the radiation conditions near the Galactic Bar are so intense they could even kill a Takkian and yet we have a research station there. I know of a certain green planet , where everything is deadly and yet even there people live.” Aat the Saran girl sitting right behind him said. “To me our Union is even more fascinating than the rest of the Universe. We visited Gore II just last year, and that is a planet sized organism.” Ncchsi the big sauron female next to the Saran said. “ I too wonder how life could develop on a place like this failed sun.” Carla turned to better answer. "How life evolves and exists on planets like these are questions scientists, scholars and theologians try to answer for a very long time. Heck we don't really know why life really comes to be on a Garden world. However Roy's mother was one of the foremost authorities on energy consuming and energy transferring life forms and she was an authority on the Bellebees and she was well known and well respected among them and that is the reason for Roy's invitation by the way.” He looked away. "I know, she tried to tell me about the Bellebees and I remember only fragments. I didn't want to hear what she had to say. She put her hand on Roy's shoulder. "The Bellebee we are going to meet is eager to make your acquaintance because he was a good friend of your mother and he knows about you." "He knows about me?" "Yes, your mother most likely have mentioned you and the Bellebees do not forget anything, not the smallest detail. They can remember every word anyone has ever spoken to anyone of them.” Alejandro sitting one seat row ahead turned and added to the conversation. “ They know the name of every Union Fleet Crew member since there is a Union Fleet." Carla nodded pleased and gestured towards the now sight filling image of the planet. "They are Union Members for quite some time now and because our technology allows them to actively participate they take membership as serious as a religion. They are even more serious about it than the Shaill or the Pertharians and that is saying something." The shuttle's view ports closed and the passenger view was replaced by view screens. Roy noticed that the shuttle extended wing like control surfaces as it dove into the planets atmosphere. Despite computronic flight stabilization some shaking and bumping motion came through . The pilot ensured the passengers that this was perfectly normal as they entered a 1600 miles per hour storm layer. Air and matter particles pounded the shuttles strong shields with supersonic speeds. The view sensors compensated for the strong glow and an after a twenty minute descent an artificial structure became visible, floating in a fantastic swirl of every shade of red. From the softest pastel pink over saturated orange to deep red and dark violets. The structure featured an illuminated Union flag in its center, proudly proclaiming that this construct was of Union origin. It had the appearance of a star like wheel with sixteen spokes and at the end of each spoke was a pine cone shaped appendix. At the center of the wheel was a sphere like hub. As they approached he could see hundreds of softly glowing pumpkin shaped things float around the cones and settle into spoon shaped tubs. As one of the floating pumpkins passed close by, he realized how big those things were. Cara said. "This is Ukdu Aigs, he is one of the Old ones and about 800 meters across." "You can tell them apart and know them by name?" She tapped to her ear. "They are hard to read with Psionics as their thoughts are simply overloaded with a flood of details, but I am also a Data Head and I tuned my internal PDD to the Belle-radio frequencies. He floated by to say hello and wanted to know if you are aboard." "Is he the one who knew mother?" "Not in person, no. that would be Moke-Dies. He has already docked in his spoon-tub, remember they do share all the species memory. Ukdu-Aigs is excited to meet you.” Roy had no response to that. It was another one of these events that were so much bigger than him and something he simply wasn't prepared for. He sighed. "I hope I won't make a fool of myself." "I think you will do just fine." "Do you think I should get myself such a Data Head thing?" "I would wait if you are still serious about becoming a Marine. They get their own implants." The shuttle approached the hub of the big wheel and slipped through an energy membrane. Inside it was just another high tech dock, smaller of course than on Belle Station, but he same activities freight handling by robots,beings traveling in every direction on foot or on slide belts. The only real difference were the huge view ports. Instead of deep space once could see the swirling red hued swirls of color outside. After a short trip on a slide belt across the landing deck Roy, Carla, Partner and his five new friends towards a row of wide doors with a big sign reading: City Access. They ran into a small committee of uniformed humans and human sized Bellebees floating above the deck plates. Cara whispered. "Those are size reduced Avatars of actual Bellebees." One of the human sized Bellebee Avatars wearing a black Uniform with the Union Flag, moved itself into a central position. "Welcome Roy Masters of Green Hell. May the winds lift you always to rich feeding grounds. I am Ukdu-Aigs a Law giving Decision maker of the ones you call Bellebees. You, being the offspring of Dr. Martha Masters, are a special guest of honor. Please let me welcome you and your friends to Humongous our world, to this Cloud City and into our society.” Roy didn't like these larger than life events and always felt somewhat overwhelmed and out of place. It was obvious his mother was held in highest regards by a species of non human Union members, he hardly knew anything about. The Avatar of the strange being managed to convey the sentiment the being seemed to feel and Roy said. “Thank you Mr. Ukdu-Aigs, I am not sure what I have done to deserve such honors, but I appreciate them very much and thank you for it. Please let me introduce to you Colonel Halvagh, Partner my pet and companion and my new friends Sobyr Sybor , Aat Amenemhat, Ncchsi, Alejandro Rivera and Pictfram from Belle Station.” “We know of course of Colonel Halvagh, she has been a welcome guest before. We welcome your friends and extend our invitation to the official reception we have planned for you to them as well. To welcome our first guest from the Xiptin one of our newest Union members is a special honor indeed.” Pictfram coiled his long body in a wave motion. “One is still very much amazed how friendly the reception is.” The Bellebee Avatar said to Roy. “I am not human, but I have spend a considerable time among you. It almost appears to me as if you, Roy Masters do not know the contributions your mother has made to science and our society in particular.” Roy felt quite embarrassed about his own ignorance, here was the representative of an entire alien society lauding his mother and her accomplishments.” The Bellebee continued. “She was a remarkable scientist and more than any human before her understood us. Do you know that her work was instrumental in improving our health services and developing a medical treatment for a disease that plagued my kind for a long time?" Roy pressed his lips together and then took a deep breath. "No I did not know. I did not listen as much as I may should have when she talked about her work, I don't have the same interest in science as my parents had.” "We observed that the offspring of humans not always chooses the same career than their parents do. It is not necessary that you follow your mother's path. But it appears that your families path is intertwined with ours and we would not feel right if the son of Dr. Martha Masters traveled past our world without us having the chance to say hello and exchange a few words in a conversation. We are alien to you as you are alien to us, but emotions we have in common and the loss of a parent is a terrible event" One of the humans stepped forward. "I am the City manager of Humongous One and the Bellebee asked me us to celebrate your visit. So we prepared a small reception in our finest restaurant for you and your companions.” "Thank you." Was all that came to Roy's mind. --””-- It was a spectacular restaurant, with view ports showing the colorful swirling outside. He wondered if looking at that all the time would drive people crazy and Cara explained that most residents didn't even see it anymore and most view ports could be made opaque or show any scenery desired. After the dinner, which was actually pretty good and since he had a few formal dinners in recent history, he did not feel totally out of place. Especially the lessons he got from Cara while he was aboard the Silver Swan were quite useful now. Sobyr as much as he tried, could not completely deny the fact that he was a Thauran and he did enjoy being at the center of attention. The City manager invited them on a City tour. It was quite amazing to realize that an entire city with almost 500,000 inhabitants , businesses, hotels, restaurants, residencies and everything else that made town , floated inside a violent permanent storm and gas layers of a huge planet. As incredible the location was, the city wasn't actually all that spectacular. It was nice and clean and all that, and had all the elements that made it a typical modern Union city. While his new friends went to enjoy a new Virtu Show Cara and the Avatar of Ukdu-Aigs took him through one of the wheel spoke connections to meet Moke-Die. The IST dropped them in one of the cone shaped appendixes and Ukdu-Aigs said. "Would you care to go outside? Union Technology developed special flight suits allowing a Human to leave the city and share our environment." "I made a fool out of myself in a space suit just recently and I sure don't want to meet my mother's friend bumping into everything." "You can meet Moke-Die. Just like me as an Avatar of course, but this is not free space. Up and down do have meaning if that was the problem in space, besides the Suits do have computronics that do the flying." Roy agreed but had mixed feelings as he stepped into the Auto Dresser. He had to laugh as he saw Partner coming out of the Auto Dresser, also wearing a flight suit, adapted by the machine to his shape and size. He was certain that Partner didn't need a suit but, his four legged friend looked very proud having a suit and his mental pictures seemed to say. 'this time I got a suit so you don't have to leave me behind.' Cara was right behind him as he stepped through the Airlock membrane and into the atmosphere of the huge planet. The Elder's Avatar blinked out inside the station, but two of the humongous balloon shaped beings were hanging right outside. Ukdu was right, this wasn't deep space, this was much worse! Yes there was an up and down, and the suit kept him stationary with grav projectors and positioning jets; at least for the moment. For some reason his mind told him that he was hanging a few hundred kilometers above a swirling storm, a storm they had told him was raging with wind speeds at over 1600 kilometers per hour creating a whirlpool like vortex that look like the maw of a gigantic monster. While his sense of Danger was silent, he still could not completely ignore a feeling of fear. So he decided to not look down to much and get the meeting over with and then leave Humongous with an experience richer, but leave soon. He was certain the Bellebee society was all interesting and it was a great honor they remembered his mother and all that was a great honor and all that, but he did not exactly wanted to spend much time here. The floating city was nice, but it was just another enclosed space. He preferred a planet with a surface and forests, preferably jungles. In other words a place just like Green Hell. He realized that he was a little homesick again. He almost missed the radio signal, the reason he was out here in the first place and he told the suit to connect him. "Welcome, Roy Masters. I am Moke-Die and I am friend of your mother." "Nice to meet you, Sir. I have to tell you however my mother is dead. She and my father were killed in a pirate attack, a little while ago." "I am a very old Bellebee and I still get confused using the Avatar technology. This is why I wanted yo meet you like this, young Masters. Let Cara and Ukdu talk while I show you a few magnificent sights." Roy carefully adjusted the thrusters and slowly followed the huge being."Alright Mr. Moke-Die. I am right behind you, at least if that dark orange colored section counts as your behind." "Come up and sit on my top, that way you do not have to concentrate on flying that contraption." Roy did follow the advise and the invitation and Partner followed as well, he did not use the suits thrusters yet he managed to steer just fine. While sitting on the surprisingly hard surface of the beings upper side, it said. "Those suits are marvelous as all Union technology, but I assure no Bellebee has ever failed to fly while it was alive." That was actually quite reassuring and Roy relaxed a little. "Yes sir, I believe that right away." " I am one of the last Bellebees still alive from the time before we were Union members. As you know we have none of the senses you have, senses that are needed to interact with Non Bellebees. I have no ears, no eyes and this Avatar technology all the younger Belles love so much gives us simulated ears and eyes, can you imagine how confusing sight can be to someone who never saw anything?" Roy nodded and then realized the Alien could not see his nod and said. "Yes Sir, I think I can imagine." He wondered why the Bellebee was telling him all this, but as alien and strange they appeared to a human, their old people acted not so different from human seniors. He also noted that they were a few hundred kilometers away from the City. The huge majestic balloons that appeared to move so slow actually traveled in wind currents of super sonic speed. The old Bellebee seemed pleased with that answer and continued. "Your mother has been here on Humongous for a few years. While she wasn't the only Union Biologist who studied us; there are always ten to fifteen around at any given time; she was one of those where I had the impression she really cared about her work and about us." Again Roy nodded inside his helmet. "Yes being a scientist was everything to her." "She discovered that we could get sick from Ozone when it passed through a weakened food membrane. She developed a food supplement, much like you humans need vitamins and eliminated a problem that plagued us for ages and was the cause for the premature death quite a few Bellebees." "Sound she made a valuable contribution." Roy was not sure what the big gas bag wanted him to say. "I am telling you this, to explain to you why I dedicated whatever live I have left to her and that self-elected task of course extends to you." Roy sighed and looked to partner who sat next to him. What could you possibly respond to someone saying something like this? He had never really wasted a thought on the Bellebees before and now he was supposed to do what? Did they want him to cure something else or follow his mothers example and research them or something? The Old Bellebee continued. "When the news of your mother's death reached Humongous, I was mourning her passing indeed. However I am Bellebee, young Roy Masters. I collected every bit of data I could find: Fleet Reports, intercepted Kermac telepathic messages, flight plans and mission parameters and much more. I analyzed the data and I discovered that a clerk on Pluribus had leaked the mission plan of the UES Zheng He.” “A clerk on Pluribus did what?” “Giving someone access to the flight plan and mission specifics of the Explorer Ship your mother was on. It enabled the pirates to plan a trap and intercept that ship.” Roy sat up and now listened with interest. The Bellebee kept speaking and said. “ That clerk and her Kermac sponsored Spy handler have been apprehended and will receive the punishment spies deserve." Roy no longer felt bored by the sermon of the old Bellebee. “He clenched his fist and said. "If there is one thing I learned not to like,it's spies and clandestine missions and all that." "I have collected and analyzed everything I could find and I was able to analyze your recent adventures as well, as you and any data you created are of course relevant to my dedication to your mother." Roy watched as they passed two other Bellebees , one of them appeared fleeing from a greenish glob with tentacles and what looked like a round mouth full of teeth. While he wanted to hear more what the Elder had to say, he interrupted. "I think one of your fellow Bellebees is about to get eaten or something." "Oh how wonderful eyes are. Yes I noticed the Belsnap. They are our natural enemy, but they are rare now. We Bellebees have never been completely helpless against them, as we have the benefit of sentience. We used to gang up on them and crush them, but the Belle out there just play with the poor Belsnap. They both are Union Citizens and carry shield generators and weapons." A bright bolt of energy glared across the violet sky and pierced the green glob and it instantly fell and disappeared beneath the swirling colors of angry clouds. The Old Bellebee said with sad regret in his voice. "There are voices who say we should preserve the Belsnap and we elder can see wisdom in this, but the young ones like the two you are seeing want to be like Terrans and Bellesnaps are enemies and have no place in our world.” “I don't like if something is killed for sports and for no other other reason.” “We are Union Citizens and very proud of this fact, I still wish the young ones would also listen to the Elders and not trying to emulate Terrans too much." Roy frowned and said. "Off Worlders try to stomp through our jungles in Armor suits and think the answer is to burn, shoot and blast everything in sight, yet they disturb the balance and at least on Green Hell, pay the price for doing so." "Cara described you well; you are an impulsive teen as young of humans and apparently also Bellebees have been since time begun, but you do have a quality of deep perceptiveness and wisdom that makes you quite different. Your mother was a lot like this and that is why I always considered her a real friend." "How about my mother, there is more to what you wanted to tell me, right?" "Yes there is more." The Old Bellebee did go on. "The UES Zhen He was attacked by a Pirate Ship called the Green Snake, commanded by a pirate known as Captain Coldblood." The Bellebee paused for a brief moment and said. "When I say I am analyzing information, I use the collective knowledge and memory of all Bellebees and I co-relate info to other information based on meaning, impact and relationship. While a Computronic can do the same and even faster than us, these machines cannot see the significance of a rumor about a pirate transmitted via Tachyon radio or about a casual conversation between two traders and mentioning something unrelated..." He paused again. "I am trailing of the subject and it isn't important for you how I do things." "You are talking about events that affected and killed my parents, so I am eager to hear whatever you know, but that does not mean I should not know how you alien floaters do things. I kept myself ignorant and did not learn what I should have. Nothing I learned in the Jungles has any meaning out here." "If you look at your life and all the events that occurred to you , all the decisions you made the Bellebee way, you will realize that everything you did and learned was important in the forming the person you are. The sum of it all influences all decisions you make and will make. You don't want to hear about it, but your decision to trust your big animal instead of running away forged the first bonds that allowed you to save many lives and help protect your homeworld. If you could see the net of connections I can see, you would be amazed what effect even the most minute event has on the great whole." "Sir, could you go back again to the Green Snake and that pirate?" Seamlessly the Elder Bellebee continued: "Analyzing this pirates patterns I concluded that he is acting under Kermac direction and the Pirate identity and behavior pattern is a cover. Captain Coldblood knowing when and where the Zheng He would be, strengthens this conclusion considerably. Checking many sighting and scan reports, the Green Snake is not armed well enough to take out a Union Explorer under shields, therefore I ordered a detailed trace inspection of the area where the Zheng He was destroyed." "You can order something like that?" "I carry the rank of Rear Admiral in the Union Fleet and I am attached to Fleet Operations, like many other Bellebees are, so yes investigating the demise of a Union Ship falls within my authority." "What did that inspection find?" "The detail sweep of the region resulted in two specific findings related to the incident. First, the enemy used Nul Gravo Mines, that had to be set up as a trap in the exact path of the Explorer, and second we found of much of the Zheng He's debris and her log book drone. Analyzing the debris we concluded that the bridge module that can be jettisoned as an emergency craft was missing." Roy's mouth became dry and he completely forgot that he was floating in a violent killer atmosphere. "Tell me everything!" He yelled. The Bellebee did and said. "Correlating reports on Slaver activity and a story that a complete Union Bridge Module was offered for sale on a Golden Bazaar only a few weeks after the destruction of the Zheng He makes me come to the conclusion that there is a good chance there were survivors and that whoever survived was sold as slaves.” “You mean that there is a chance my mother is alive?” “The last Log entries describe the attack and that the Module was jettisoned, your parents were present on the Bridge at that time.” The strange dreams somehow made sense now and he was certain his parents were alive. "What is done to free the slaves and my parents?” "There is nothing done, Roy Masters. Your parents if they survived and everyone on that ship were most likely sold as Slaves month ago and and all known Slave markets are in Freespace." "Are we not at war? Is the Free Space treaty not voided?" "And have the Shiss and the Nul enter the war as well? No, Roy. The Union will not break the treaty now. We are winning this war, our calculations are correct I am certain, but it is better we concentrate on one enemy at the time." Roy became angry. "My parents! The others, I saw other humans in my dreams as well! They are held in terrible conditions. This is what the Assembly needs to do! Free Union Citizens and protect them from being abducted.” “This is a sore point and is discussed at least once a week at the Assembly. When loved ones make petitions; when raided colonies make the news or when pirates attack civilian ships,but there is no easy solution.” “Why not? We got a fleet and we got military for that very reason. That is why it exists.” “The Union prohibits the trade in sentient life forms, but as big as the Union appears, we are not alone in the Universe. While our ethic understanding and our laws recognize fundamental rights for sentient individuals. It is not an universal concept and there are many who see nothing wrong with slavery and sentient beings are just another commodity.” “I understand that and I don't care what others do, but my parents and the others were abducted. The Colonists you spoke about were Union Citizen.” “Yes indeed and I am not defending the pirates or anyone committing crimes against our citizens. I just wanted to explain to you how difficult it is to really police and protect every colony and every ship. Space is awful big. The distances between star systems are truly tremendous and it is easy for others to find gaps in our armor. An entire enemy fleet made it to our Star system despite the fact we are at war and the fleet is at highest alert. They managed to get battle ships into the Maxwell System. The fleet, the Assembly simply can not guarantee the safety of everyone. We are already at war, going against slavers, breaching the contracts and treaties we have with the Shiss, the Nul and others carries a high risk of War escalation.” Roy sounded defeated and said less angry. “But my parents?” “You know how much we respect your mother, but the chances of them still being alive is not very good and even if your dreams are indeed caused by some sort of Long Range Telepathic phenomenon, confirming them to be alive, they could be at a dozen different places.” “If you knew all this; if the fleet or the government can't help me; why telling me in the first place?” "The government can not help you, but that does not mean I won't help you. Not as member of the Armed forces, but as a friend of your mother.” “I appreciate the sentiment, but what could you do? I mean you guys are all smart and analytical, but I think a fast ship and a commando unit would be needed.” The huge gasbag had an amused sound. “Well yes we are physically quite limited and more or less stuck on this planet, but you should not underestimate analytical thinking and the application of results. We have many sources of information and I will attempt to find out if they are indeed alive and where they are. Once I am able to get details, we can make plans, secure the necessary resources and affect a rescue.” “I need to postpone my trip to Sares, my plans to join the Marines and need to find my parents. I just know they are alive!” As he was saying this, he said. “Cara knew about this, didn't she and so did Admiral Stahl. They knew there is a chance my parents are still alive and didn't tell me.” "Young Roy Masters. I can not claim to know what the Immortal Warrior knows, but I can assure you that even if the Universe will try to deceive you, he will not. There are very few constants in this galaxy, Admiral Stahl however is one. Now before you make hasty decisions and let emotions overtake sound reason, please be patient. Heated action without any direction is quite silly. We will stay in contact and as soon as I have news I will inform you.” Roy could not really think to say anything else as “Thank you!” The Bellebee changed course and headed back to the City. "Sir , how will you try finding these pirates and my parents?" “I told you I am an Officer in the Union Fleet. We have Intel assets in Free Space and I can access and if necessary re direct or deploy NAVINT assets. But you are also not out of assets or options. If I were you I would ask the Wurgus, they get around and they can travel across Free Space just fine.” Category:Fragments